Punjab CM Mann announces rewards for police officers showing good work in war against drugs

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has announced cash rewards for police officers who perform well in the state’s “war against drugs.” Speaking at Faridkot on Independence Day, Mann said that under his government, the drug supply network in Punjab is on its last legs.

He promised that inquiry officers who recover more than 1 kg of heroin will receive ₹1.20 lakh as a reward. This is the first time such incentives will be given to Punjab Police for their work in the anti-drug campaign. Mann said the government’s crackdown, called Yudh Nasheyan Virudh, has dismantled much of the drug network. Drug dealers have been jailed, their properties demolished, and defence committees have been formed in towns and villages.

Mann said the campaign has become a people’s movement, with many villages declaring themselves drug-free. The state has deployed anti-drone systems along the 553-km border with Pakistan to stop drug and weapon smuggling. An Anti-Gangster Task Force has also been formed to tackle organised crime.

Development, investment, and reforms

During his speech, Mann also highlighted the government’s achievements in various sectors. He said recruitment and promotions in Punjab Police have been made more transparent to strengthen the force. Revenue reforms like e-registration and e-jamabandi have been introduced to reduce corruption in tehsils.

Mann said the state has received investment proposals worth ₹1.14 lakh crore since March 2022, which could generate 4.5 lakh jobs. Big companies like Tata Steel are investing due to an industry-friendly atmosphere. Twenty-four sectoral committees have been set up to help in industrial policy-making.

Road safety has also improved. After the creation of a road safety force, road accidents have dropped by 48 per cent. A project to clean more than 17,000 ponds has been launched. The Punjab Rural Transformation Fellowship has been introduced to speed up rural development. Under this programme, 154 young people will work at the block level to assist in planning and monitoring village development projects.

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Education, health, and social welfare

Mann said the state is introducing anti-drug lessons in schools to raise awareness among students. Government schools are being upgraded to “Schools of Eminence” to improve quality education. Punjab recently ranked first in the National Achievement Survey by the Government of India.

He added that 848 government school students qualified for NEET, 265 cleared JEE Mains, and 45 cleared JEE Advanced this year.

In health, the Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojna will launch on October 2, providing health insurance of ₹10 lakh per family. The scheme will cover treatment in all government hospitals and 552 private hospitals, with the state government paying all medical costs.

The government has also opened 881 aam aadmi clinics, where around 70,000 people receive treatment every day. The number of clinics will soon increase to 1,000.